Collapsible umbrella lying flat when closed

ABSTRACT

A collapsible umbrella frame lying flat when closed, which comprises a stick, a first member forming notch means connected to one end of said stick, a second member forming runner means displaceably mounted on said stick and movable toward and away from said first member, and umbrella-cover-supporting means pivotally connected to said members, at least one of said members when viewed in the axial direction of said stick having a relatively long and narrow shape, and pin means arranged in at least said one member and pivotally connecting the respective adjacent umbrella cover supporting means thereto.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Tilmann Schulles 2,264,881 12/1941 Herbin 135/25 Solingen-Weyer, Germany 3,431,925 3/1969 Kraft 135/25 [g1 31 1 2 9 9 FOREIGN PATENTS gf m 6 1,914,232 12/1964 Germany 135/20 y 1236 740 9 1967 o [73] Assign Konenbach & Rauh ermany 135/20 Kommanditgesellschait Primary Examiner-J. Karl Bell Solingen-Weyer, Germany AtwmeyWalter Becker [32] Priority Mar. 2, I968 [33] Germany [31] K 60 463 A frame flat when CLOSED closed, which comprises a stick, a first member forming notch 8 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs. means connected to one end of said stick, a second member forming runner means displaceably mounted on said stick and U-S- movable toward and away from aid first member and um- A4513 19/10 brella-cover-supporting means pivotally connected to said Fleld Of 1 members at least one of aid members when viewed in {he axial direction of said stick havin a relative] lon and narrow [56] Rekrences cued shape, and pin means arranged in at least Zaid inc member UNITED STATES PATENTS and pivotally connecting the respective adjacent umbrella 982,489 l/l9ll Hammett 135/28 cover supporting means thereto.

PAIENTEnJuLwmn 3.593.731 SHEET 2 OF 2 6 9C Fig. 70

INVENTOR.

%rronw 0/41 COLLAPSIBLE UMBRELLA LYING FLAT WHEN CLOSED The present invention relates to a collapsible umbrella lying flat when closed with a stick having at least two sections adapted to telescope into each other and with at least eight ribs each comprising at least two parts and adapted to telescope and/or fold.

With heretofore known umbrellas of this kind the ribs attached to the notch are linked to a runner by means of stretchers. Sometimes there is provided an. auxiliary runner with auxiliary stretchers linked to the main stretchers. The notch, the runner, and possibly the auxiliary runner are of an elongated shape so that the umbrella lies flat when closed.

It is an object of this invention to provide a collapsible umbrella frame of the above general type which is greatly simplified as to its assembly.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an umbrella frame as outlined in the preceding paragraph which is particularly short and flat when closed so that overall a cheaper and more practical umbrella is produced.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of one-half of an opened-up collapsible umbrella according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the opened umbrella, and

FIGS. 3 to 12 show a cross section through a possible em bodiment of the notch, runner or auxiliary runner with different arrangements of the pins.

The above-outlined objects have been realized by an umbrella frame according to the invention which is characterized primarily in that the ends of the ribs, stretchers and possible auxiliary stretchers are linked to the notch runner or auxiliary runner by pins which are inserted into corresponding bores in the notch, runner or possible auxiliary runner. The ends of the ribs, stretchers or auxiliary stretchers arranged at each of the short and long sides of the notch, runner and auxiliary runner are preferably held by one pin.

In accordance with further features of the invention, instead of one or both of the pins for the long sides there may respectively be provided two short pins. Alternately, instead of the two longitudinal pins there may be provided two pins lying on either side of the hold for the stick on the longitudinal centerline of the notch, runner or auxiliary runner. In accordance with the invention the pins lying parallel to the longitudinal centerline are prevented from slipping out by the transverse pins running across at the short sides.

To fix either the notch to the stick or the runner carrying the ends of stretchers to a sleeve on the stick, it is suggested in accordance with another feature of the invention so to arrange the pins lying parallel to the longitudinal centerline that they project into the hole in the notch, runner or auxiliary runner. In this way, the pins serve not only to attach the ribs or stretchers but simultaneously serve as a releasable fastener for other parts. In the simplest design, at least one of the two pins lying on the longitudinal centerline projects into the hole in the notch, runner or auxiliary runner. To fix the notch to the stick it is also possible in accordance with the invention to replace the two pins with one continuous pin on the longitudinal centerline of the notch so that this pin also passes through the stick.

If, for example, it is intended to connect a guide bush to that portion of the runner which receives the stretchers, it is suggested in accordance with a further feature of the invention that at least one of the two pins running parallel to the longitudinal centerline over the whole length passes through the marginal area of the hole in the manner of a secant. To prevent the runner from rotating on the stick, it is finally proposed in ac cordance with the invention that those parts of the pins which project into the hole for the stick should be guided in axial recesses in the stick.

An umbrella frame designed in conformity with the invention results in a collapsible umbrella frame which is flat when closed while the individual parts of the umbrella are especially simple, and consequently can be produced at low costs. Moreover, the individual parts can be assembled quickly in a simple manner.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the umbrella frame comprises a stick l with a notch 2 at its upper end. Attended to this notch there are in this embodiment two-piece ribs 5 which support the umbrella cover 3. The ribs are by stretchers 6 attached to the runner 3 which is guided on the stick ll. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. l and 2 there is also provided an auxiliary runner 4 with auxiliary stretchers 7joined to the stretchers 6.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the notch 2 is of an elongated shape and is symmetric with regard to a longitudinal centerline L. The ends of the ribs 5 are arranged symmetrically with respect to a transverse axis 0 of the notch 2. This elongated shape and symmetry with respect to the longitudinal centerline L and transverse axis 0 also holds for the runner 3 with stretchers 6 and the auxiliary runner t with auxiliary stretchers 7. This arrangement means that when the umbrella is being opened, no twisting forces will be exerted upon the umbrella cover 8.

FIGS. 3 to 12 show various possible designs for the notch 2, runner 3 or auxiliary runner 4 and for the mode of attachment of the ribs 5, stretchers 6 or auxiliary stretchers 7 to the respective holder. Although the 10 different designs are illustrated for the notch 2 and ribs 5, they also apply to the runner 3 with stretchers 6 or the auxiliary runner 4 with auxiliary stretchers 7.

In the first design in FIG. 3, there is depicted the stick 1 to which the notch 2 is fixed. The notch 2 is oblong and symmetric with respect to the longitudinal centerline L and transverse axis 0. At each of the short sides of the notch 2 there are two ribs 5 both jointed to a pin 9a. The four ribs 5 arranged at the two long sides are linked in pairs to longitudinal pins 9b each running on one side parallel to the longitudinal centerline L. These longitudinal pins 9b run outside hole lla in notch 2 which hole is provided for stick ll. In accordance with the two embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, one or both of the langitudinal pins 9b may respectively be replaced by two short pins so that each of these pins holds one rib 5 on the long side.

In the fourth embodiment shown in .FIG. 6, instead of the two longitudinal pins 9b there are two pins 9d arranged on either side of the hole 1a for the stick I along the longitudinal centerline L of the notch 2. Thus, each of these pins 9d links to the notch 2 those ribs 5 on the long sides which lie on one side of the transverse axis 0. The ribs 5 at each short side are attached as before to the pin 9a which simultaneously prevents the respective pin 9d from slipping out. The embodiments in FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate furthermore that it is possible to fix the notch 2 to the stick l with one or both of the pins 9d. Altemately, this may be achieved by having instead of the two pins 9d a continuous pin 9e along the longitudinal centerline L for all the ribs 5 at the long sides as shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 10 depicts a runner 3 of which that part which carries the ends of the stretchers 6 is joined to a guiding bush 3a. The hole la in the runner 3 for the stick ll thus corresponds to the bore in the bush 3a. To fix the bush 3a to the runner 3, a pin 9b extending over the entire length of the runner 3 parallel to the longitudinal centerline L is offset inwardly in such a way that it passes through part of the bush 3a in the manner of a secant. In this way a simple or additional connection of the guiding bush 3a to the runner 3 may be effected. Obviously both longitudinal pins 9b could be used to fix the bush 311, as shown in FIG. ill. The same method can be used] to fix the bush of an auxiliary runner.

The last embodiment depicted in FIG. 12 shows that in the case of a runner 3 (or auxiliary runner) the ends of the pins 9d lying on the longitudinal centerline L may be used to prevent rotation of the runner 3 on the stick ll. To this end, the ends of the pins 9d project into axial recesses lb in the stick 1, thus holding the runner 3 and preventing it from rotating.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the specific showing in the drawings but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A collapsible umbrella frame lying flat when closed, which comprises in combination a stick, a first member forming notch means connected to one end of said stick, a second member forming runner means displaceably mounted on said stick and movable toward and away from said first member, and umbrella-cover-supporting means pivotally connected to said members, at least one of said members when viewed in the axial direction of said stick being of substantially greater length than width so that said member has a longitudinal axis along its length, first pin means in said member extending parallel to said longitudinal axis pivotally connecting certain of said supporting means on opposite sides of said member, and second transverse pin means at each end pivotally connecting other of said supporting means to said member, said transverse pin means extending across and blocking the ends of said longitudinal pin means against removal.

2. An umbrella frame in combination according to claim 1, in which at least one of said first pin means for pivotally connecting comprises a plurality of pins extending in the longitudinal direction of said at least one member.

3. An umbrella frame in combination according to claim I,

' in which said first member is provided with a substantially central bore receiving said stick, and in which said first pin means for pivotally connecting comprises a plurality of pins on opposite sides of a plane of symmetry both extending through said central bore and transverse to said first member.

4. An umbrella frame in combination according to claim 3, in which said first pin means for pivotally connecting extend into said central bore.

5. An umbrella frame in combination according to claim 3, in which said first pin means are respectively located on opposite sides of the longitudinal middle axis of said central bore, and in which said first pin means located on at least one of said two opposite sides extend into said central bore.

6. An umbrella frame in combination according to claim 1, in which said first pin means is located in the longitudinal central plane of said one crown-shape member.

7. An umbrella frame in combination according to claim 3, in which said first pin means are respectively located on opposite sides of the axis of said central bore, and in which one of said first pin means transversely extends relative to the marginal area ofsaid central bore in the manner ofa secant.

8. An umbrella frame in combination according to claim 3, in which said stick in the area of said central bore is provided with axially extending guide groove means located on opposite sides of the axis of said stick and extending in longitudinal direction thereof, and in which said first pin means comprises two pins located in that longitudinal central plane of said stick which passes through said groove means, said last-mentioned two pins engaging said groove means. 

1. A collapsible umbrella frame lying flat when closed, which comprises in combination a stick, a first member forming notch means connected to one end of said stick, a second member forming runner means displaceably mounted on said stick and movable toward and away from said first member, and umbrella-coversupporting means pivotally connected to said members, at least one of said members when viewed in the axial direction of said stick being of substantially greater length than width so that said member has a longitudinal axis along its length, first pin means in said member extending parallel to said longitudinal axis pivotally connecting certain of said supporting means on opposite sides of said member, and second transverse pin means at each end pivotally connecting other of said supporting means to said member, said transverse pin means extending across and blocking the ends of said longitudinal pin means against removal.
 2. An umbrella frame in combination according to claim 1, in which at least one of said first pin means for pivotally connecting comprises a plurality of pins extending in the longitudinal direction of said at least one member.
 3. An umbrella frame in combination according to claim 1, in which said first member is provided with a substantially central bore receiving said stick, and in which said first pin means for pivotally connecting comprises a plurality of pins on opposite sides of a plane of symmetry both extending through said central bore and transverse to said first member.
 4. An umbrella frame in combination according to claim 3, in which said first pin means for pivotally connecting extend into said central bore.
 5. An umbrella frame in combination according to claim 3, in which said first pin means are respectively located on opposite sides of the longitudinal middle axis of said central bore, and in which said first pin means located on at least one of said two opposite sides extend into said central bore.
 6. An umbrella frame in combination according to Claim 1, in which said first pin means is located in the longitudinal central plane of said one crown-shape member.
 7. An umbrella frame in combination according to claim 3, in which said first pin means are respectively located on opposite sides of the axis of said central bore, and in which one of said first pin means transversely extends relative to the marginal area of said central bore in the manner of a secant.
 8. An umbrella frame in combination according to claim 3, in which said stick in the area of said central bore is provided with axially extending guide groove means located on opposite sides of the axis of said stick and extending in longitudinal direction thereof, and in which said first pin means comprises two pins located in that longitudinal central plane of said stick which passes through said groove means, said last-mentioned two pins engaging said groove means. 